Wool you give me a haircut?

Frank Krupka of North Ridgeville used a pair of electric cutters Monday at the Lorain County Fair to make the process easy and safe for his lamb, Mia.

Electric shears have three main parts — the hand piece, the comb, and the cutters — to get a clean shave.

The best time of the year to shear a sheep is in early spring before lambing season starts and the hot summer weather sets in, Krupka said. Most only need to be clipped once, but Mia gets sheared three times per year when preparing for a show.

“We strip them down and make sure we don’t nick them,” Krupka said, watching his son Christopher shear the last few bits of wool from Mia. “We get them nice and tight so the judge can see the body and see the animal at its purest because the wool hide some imperfections.”

She is clean cut from head to hocks, which are similar to ankles on a human foot. Black hair grows below the area, which Krupka leaves long and fuzzy. He uses a blow dryer and a comb to tease the hair, giving the legs a big and puffy look.

Unlike humans, Mia has her eyelashes shaved off too.

The lamb stood obediently on a metal platform as an electric razor zipped across her skin. She looked as well-behaved as a puppy expecting a treat.

“My boys walk our lambs around our property and often times, cars will slam on their breaks when they realize it’s definitely not a dog,” Krupka said.

Laurie Hamame can be reached at 440-775-1611 or @HamameNews on Twitter.